CRA Personal Finance & Motoring Explored
By womenonwheels
We share 6 insights on SA’s motor industry in 2021 using the 2021 AutoTrader Mid-Year Car Industry Report that covers the first six months of the year’s trading. It contains all manner of facts and figures about SA’s ever-changing automotive landscape.
Visit CRA’s industry news blog page for more relevant articles.
Let’s take a look at the 6 insights and key findings from the 56-page report.
Online vehicle searches hit a record high
A whopping 319 million car searches were recorded in the motoring marketplace in the first six months of 2021, which represents an all-time high and suggests robust interest in the used market and a strong recovery after a period of uncertainty.
BMW is once again the most searched for brand
Interestingly, BMW again proved the most searched for brand, accounting for nearly 13% of all brand searches in the reporting period. Toyota’s venerable Hilux bakkie was easily the most searched for model overall, while the Volkswagen Golf GTI again proved the most searched for variant. SA’s love for VW’s hallowed hot hatch is as strong as ever.
The coupé has the highest average rand/km driven figure
When shopping for a used car, it’s handy to first find out whether the vehicle you’re interested in is priced above or below average for that particular body style. The same applies to how many kilometres are on the clock; is the number more or less than average? This sort of data helps consumers to gauge whether or not a vehicle is priced fairly.
Rank of average rand per kilometer by body type*
| Rank
(most to least expensive ave rank per km) |
Body type | Average
R per km |
Average year model | Average price (R) | Average mileage (km) |
| 1 | Coupé | 15.56 | 2012 | 1,039,507 | 66,787 |
| 2 | SUV | 6.42 | 2017 | 459,473 | 71,533 |
| 3 | Double Cab | 5.23 | 2017 | 432,736 | 82,733 |
| 4 | Sedan | 3.62 | 2015 | 310,733 | 85,868 |
| 5 | Hatchback | 2.96 | 2017 | 191,493 | 64,673 |
| 6 | Single Cab | 2.03 | 2016 | 212,299 | 104,566 |
*Source: 2021 AutoTrader Mid-Year Industry Report. Period 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2021
The Toyota Hilux is the most enquired upon model overall
Which used models do online shoppers show concrete intent to purchase? Well, according to the report, dealerships received just short of 100 000 enquiries on the Toyota Hilux in the first six months of 2021. The Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Polo ranked as the second and third most enquired upon models in the reporting period.
The BMW i3 is the most enquired upon electric vehicle
What about electric vehicles (EVs)? Here, the BMW i3 generated the most leads for dealers, accounting for more than half of the total number of EVs listed on the platform and close to 70 percent of dealer enquiries for such vehicles. Porsche’s Taycan ranked second, while the Jaguar I-Pace took third place.
Top five most enquired used electric vehicles (EV)*
| Rank by no. of enquiries | Model | % of enquiries | % of all EVs listed | Listed Avg. Price | Listed Avg. Mileage (km) | Listed Avg. Year |
| 1 | BMW i3 | 66,51% | 56.08% | R535,292 | 34 521 | 2018 |
| 2 | Porsche Taycan | 14.02% | 11.73% | R3,109,815 | 3 270 | 2020 |
| 3 | Jaguar I-Pace | 13.87% | 21.30% | R1,539,195 | 6 070 | 2020 |
| 4 | MINI Cooper SE | 4.37% | 10.43% | R615,558 | 4 342 | 2020 |
| 5 | Nissan LEAF | 1.2% | 0.43% | R249,950 | 14 000 | 2015 |
*Source: AutoTrader, 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2021
SA’s attitude to EVs is starting to change
A detailed survey on EVs was included in the report, with respondents intriguingly ranking safety as the most important consideration when purchasing a battery-powered car, ahead of factors such as battery efficiency, environmental friendliness and even price. This suggests SA’s attitude towards EVs is finally starting to shift.
“It’s been a fascinating six months for the automotive industry as it looks to be recovering from the initial impact of the national lockdown. Perhaps most interesting is the fact our survey indicates South Africans are beginning to change their viewpoints on EVs”, said AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.
Picture: Pexels
Read Also: Big Changes For Drivers Planned For South Africa In 2021 – Including Zero Alcohol Limits
Article Credit to WomanOnWheels.
What’s your view on how SA’s motor industry is trading in the first 6 months of 2021? Let us know in the comments below. Also, if you found our content informative, do like it and share it with your friends.
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